Page 125 of Pandora's Pleasure
Madeline pulled a scarf up and over her head, putting on sunglasses to round out her disguise. “I like her,” she whispered.
“She’sthe one.” I shrugged at how easy that felt to say.
“I think you’re right.”
“Thank you for encouraging it.”
Her lips softened in a knowing smile.
On the front porch, I tried to find the words to say what I had always failed to express to her. “I’m sorry I couldn’t save you back then.”
She shook her head. “I would have brought you down, too.”
I would always cherish our friendship and I would always admire the sacrifice she’d made. She’d put herself last and protected everyone around her.
“Galante’s unstoppable,” she said.
“Maybe he’ll drop dead from a heart attack. Everyone’s wishing it.”
“Thoughts and prayers.” She lowered her sunglasses and winked.
I watched her head up the driveway toward her car and then I turned and went back inside.
Pandora wasn’t in the kitchen.
In the hallway, I noticed that the red door was open…she’d gone down to the dungeon. Following her, I braced myself for a possible argument about my ex being here. Maybe I should have texted her to let her know.
When I found Pandora, she was sitting in the dark on the edge of the bed, seemingly lost in thought.
She looked up. “What can be done?”
“In what respect?”
“How are we to stop him from releasing the story?”
I loomed over her. “If you ever decide to go rogue again, I will lock you in here and never let you out.”
She started to stand up but I nudged her back down. “Are you listening?”
“You told me I can’t talk about it in this room.”
“Then why are we in here?”
“I needed somewhere quiet to think.”
“I get that.”
She nibbled on her lip. “Where do we keep the sex tape?”
“In a safe place.” I threw her a reassuring smile.
“If he runs that story, you and I will be like you and Madeline. We won’t be able to be seen together in public. Ever again.”
She was right. We’d be torn apart. Her father’s scandal could cause my father’s people to panic. What would follow would be them asking the impossible of us.
A ripple of dread caused me to freeze—I’d known it could happen, but I’d been in denial. I’d fought hard to do the right thing for everyone.
Pandora fell back onto the bed. “I’ve only just moved in.”
